Parlor football game



Dec. 23, 1924 1,520,011

E. A CLARK PARLOR FOOTBALL GAME Filed-M15 19, 1923 05 I of ah I ab F 3fig fl 3 If /E H II /0 f 5 /C Patented Dec. 23, 1924.

UNITED STATES EDWARD A. CLARK, or

SALINE', MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF '10 CARI: L 'CUBTISS, OF SALINE,MICHIGAN.

PABLOR FOOTBALL GAME.

Application filed July 19, 1923. Serial No.. 652,634.

vented certain new and useful Improvements in Parlor Football Games, anddeclare the following to'be a full, clear, and exact description of thesame, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertainsto make and use the same, reference being had to the -accompanyingdrawings, which form a part of this speci-- fication.

The object of my invention is to produce a parlor gamethat can be playedby the use of a playing board and playing men, that will duplicate, orsubstitute .as nearly as possible. the plays and moves made in the fieldfoot ball game now so commonly known.

A further object is to produce a playing board that is similar to thefield used for foot ball, and

to substitute rules thereon.

A further object is to produce a parlor game that will teach and developthe scienfor making similar plays tific principles used in playing football.

Theseseveral objects are secured in their preferred form by theconstruction and arrangement of the playing board and the rulesgoverning the game more fully hereinafter set forth.

' Similar parts on all drawings are marked by similar letters.

Fig. 1, is a plan "iew of the playing board showing the field as dividedinto sectionsby yard lines.

Fig. 2, is an edge view of the playing board, showing the two sectionshinged together at the center by means of acloth hinge for allowing theboard to be closed to ether when not in use. i ig. 3, is aside view ofthe dice-ball showing the faces, nating the plays by figures or namethereon.

Fig. 4;, is an end view of the dice ball showing the twelve facesarranged around the circumference of the ball.

Fig. 5, is a plan view of the circular disc as used for playing men.Fig. 6, is an edge view of the disc.

I will now describe more fully the detailed construction, design andrules of my State of Michigan, have 1nwhich may be adaptable and themanner of desig game, referring to the drawing and the marks thereon.

The ame consists of a playing board as shown in Fig. 1, playing men asshown in Figs. 5 and 6, and a dice-ball as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Inplaying the game, the playing men are lined along the center line of theboard, taking the same arrangement as the alignment of the foot ball men0.0-. cupying the field in the ordinary foot ball game. The movements ofthe playing men on the board are governed by rules, and the playsdetermined by rolling the dice-ball, as indicated by the number, orname, upon the top face when the ball stops rolling.

rules for the foot ball game as now played in the open field, and aredesigned to substitute theplays as nearly as possible when adapting sameto a playing board. The game is played by two opponents, one at each endof the board, each opponent having eleven playing men forming the teamunder his control, and the movements are regulated by the numberssecured on the dice-ball and the rules of the game. The playing board asshown in Figs. 1 and2, is made of thin material forming the sections -A,preferably of a heavy card board, and of suitable size for holding inthe laps of the two pla ers. The sections -'A- are hinged toget erat-the center b the cloth hinge -B- extending across the ace of theboard on the upper surface thereof, for folding-the two halves togetherwhen not in use. The field is laid out on the surface of the pla ingboard similar to the re ular foot ball eld,

11116 (J'- across each end having a goal field separated by the thereof,and the center line --D-. is divided into sections by transverse .lines-E, known as yard lines, and indicating the distance of the section 'Therules governing the game are similar to the.

Each half of the field from the goal line, and designated by the linesof figures along the edge of the board.

Each player has a team of eleven playing men, which may be of any designor shape, but for the purpose of illustrating the game the inventorchose to use fiat circular discs, as shown in Fig. 5. The playing men ineach team are marked by numerals ranging from one to eleven, inclusive,as shown in position on the playing board, or may be marked by a namedesignating the position of a foot ball player on the field, as shown Y1 ball is shaped similar to a foot ball, and havin Fig. 5. Eachjopponent lines his-- men on opposite sides of the center line of theboard, and in the order as indicated in Fig.

, the numbers, or both may be usedtogether.

For simplicity in describing the game and the rules govern'ingsame, thenumbers only will hereafter be referred to, The diceing twelve fiatfaces formed around the circumference thereof, for-retarding the ballwhen rolled, and stopping the same in a stable positionj On each'face isplaced a figure, (or name), ranging from one to eleven inclusive,corresponding to numbers'on the laying men controlled by each opponent.

he figures on'the faces of the ball are, preferably, arranged so that notwo consecutive figures are placed on adjacent faces of the ball stop:

bers ranging from 2 to 11 inclusive.

the ball. While eleven figures only are used. or required, it isdesirable to form the ball with an even number of faces so when rolling,a: single face or surface, will positioned directly on top, otherwise,if an odd number of faces be used, two faces would be equally near thetop of the ball when it stopped'rolling and would .be confusing to the,players. The inventor therefore chose twelve sides for the dice-ball andplaced a duplicate figure on two opposite faces, using No. 1 forthatipurpose, while the rest of the faces bear nurii- 11 starting thegame, eachopponent-rolls the dice ball once,"and the player receivingthe highest number takes the ball and starts the game. The rules of thegame provide for threeplays'the opponents may follow, as the end run orline buck, forward pass, or the punt. For the end run or line buck, theplayer has three trials or rolls of the dice-ball for a down, and mustadvance ten yards on the field in three downs'or forfeit the ball to'hisopponent; in the forward pass he has only two trials or rolls-of theball, and for the punt only one roll of the ball, each if successful;will gain fifteen yards. The player then rolls the dice ball twice, ifnecessary, and if in either roll he secures a numbercorresponding to anynumberin his'opponents first line of men, he starts the game by the endrun or line buck.

I If he fails to secure a number in his'opponents first line of'men, hehas failed and counts'one down and no advance; He still has two moredowns to make his ten yards time, and if he secures a number advance.-When successfuland he plays the secured by the dice ball, also having aman each'side of his guard man. Anyman from any row may be used to formthis guard. The player then rolls the dice ball the third correspondingto any one of the three ard numbers of theopponents team, he galns afive yards advance, and moves? all men forward on the board accordingly.The player continues and the move counts a down, and he must advance tenyardsin three downs or forfeit the ball to his opponent. If the playershould get No. l-when rolling the dice ball the first trial andsecures'numbers on the remaining two trials corresponding to the two mendirectly back of No. 1 on 3 the playing board; he breaksthrough the linefor a touchdown. Should the prospects appeardoubtful to the player as tohis advancing ten yards in the three downs,

he may abandon the end run. and line buck move,

and adopt one of the other. plays, and in which case he callsshiftfl'and the opponent then arranges his. men to .meet the ,playchosen. If he tries .the forward pass" he places any two of his men inthe opponents field, and the opponent must also place two of hismen withthem as guards, but such guards must not bear numbers nearer than thethird consecutive figure either side of the number on each of theplayers men, for example, if the player places two men in his opponentsfield bearing the numbers-5- and 9, the opponent cannot place a guardman beside the 5. nearer than the number 2- or 8- or a guard for the -9nearer than -6 or -1. In other words, there must'be two interveningnumbers between each'of the players men and the guard placed beside it;The player then rolls the dice ball twice, and. if he secures a numberthe first roll of the ball that is on either of his two men placed inthe opponents field, or one of the next two consecutive numbers'eitherbefore or after the number on either of his two men, he may then rollthe dice ball the second time, and if he secures a number on theremaining. man, or one of the next-two consecutive numbers on eitherside thereof, he has completed a successful forward pass and advances-1his men fifteen yards accordingly." But should theplafiyer rst get anumber from-the dice ball on the roll corresponding to a numberon'eitherof an intercepted pass. Should hefail to secure a numbercorrespondingstov either his ball once and men or the opponents guard,it is a down and he has failed to make the ten yards in three downs andforfeits the ball to his opponent. Should the player choose to puntinstead of the forward pass, he places any two (or more) men, preferablythree men, in his opponents field, then rolls the dice if he secures anumber corresponding to any' of the numbers on the men so placed, hegains fifteen yards, but in all cases forfeits the ball to his opponent.The game continues until one of the players succeeds in advancing hisfront line men over his opponents goal line, and which constitutes atouchdown, counting seven points for the player. The game continues forany pre-determined time the players may set, and the contestant havingthe highest score is the winner. Various plays may be added orsubstituted for the numerous moves and plays made in the field foot ballgame.

- I do not wish to be confined to the exact construction of my playingboard, playing men or dice-ball, as it is understood that the dice ballis a means for determining by chance, the plays to be made, and whichcould be equally as well determined by other devices as a revolvingarrow over numbers, &c., or any other device, or confined to the exactrules for playing the game as set forth, but claim all games of thischaracter and design that is substantially a substitution of parts andrules herein set forth.

Having fully described my parlor foot ball game, what I claim as myinvention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A parlon foot ball game of the character described comprising aplaying board designed to represent the foot ball field, imitationplaying men to represent the position of the foot 'ball players on saidboard, each of said imitation playing men being designated by a number,a dice ball having faces thereon, each of said faces bearing a numbercorresponding to numbers on the playing men.

2. A parlor foot ball game of the character described comprising aplaying board designed to represent a foot ball field, having variouspositions designated thereon, imitation playing men to recordtheposition on the board of'the foot ball players, each of said playing menmarked by a designating character, a dice ball having eleven or morefaces thereon, each face marked by a character similar to those inmarking the playing men.

3. A parlor foot ball game of the character described comprising aplaying board designed and divisioned similar to a foot ball field,having transverse lines across the face of the board dividing the fieldinto sections, imitation playing men for recording the position of thefoot ball players on the playing board, each of the playing men beingdesignated by a character representing a'position in the foot ball team,a dice ball having numerous faces thereon, each designated by acharacter on some of the playing men, and all of the playing men beingdesignated on said dice ball faces.

4. A parlor foot ball game of the character described to be played bytwo contestants, comprising a playing board designed to represent thefield used in playing foot ball, and having goal lines at each endthereof extending across the board, the field extending between the saidgoal lines divided into twenty equal spaces by transverse lines acrosssaid playing board, imitation playing men having characters thereon forrecording the position of the foot ball players on said playing board, atwelve faced dice ball having characters marked thereon representing allof the playing men, for determining the movements of certain men on theplaying board.

5. A parlor foot ball game as set forth to be played by two contestants,comprising a playing board designed like a foot ball field, having agoal line at each end of the field, a center line equidistant betweensaid goal lines, yard lines across said field dividing same intosections having figures to designate the distance from the goal line,eleven playing men for each of the two contestants to be placed on thefield for recording the position of the men of the foot ball squad, eachplaying man having a designating character thereon, a twelve faced diceball having. designating characters marked on said faces similar tothose on the play ing men, and all of the playing men being designatedon said dice ball.

In witness whereof I sign this specification.

EDWARD A. CLARK.

